As far as Gordon Korman books go, this was not my favorite, however it was still a masterpiece by one of the best children's authors in the world. There wasn't enough of a climactic buildup to convince me Dex's suspension was a big deal. If you're looking for an introduction to Korman, this is not the book for you, and it is not as good as some of his recent titles, however, if you are a long time reader, I encourage you to check the book out, even if it may be slightly disappointing compared to his other works.

I would rate this book a 3.5 if allowed.

Dexter has lived with his grandma as the youngest resident in the old folks home for many years. But when a mistake comes to light, he now has to go to middle school. It goes pretty much how you would imagine with Dexter struggling to fit in with all the life changes since the rest of the people he knows have gone to school. But things get wild when he's expelled for possessing a weapon (Swiss Army Knife) and the school rallies to his defense. Will Dexter go back to middle school? Does he even want to?

Korman has done it again. I really enjoyed this story. As a former homeschooler, it's nice to read about a homeschooler who had struggles fitting in, but eventually figured out their own space in the world. I just wish I'd had Dexter's confidence when I was a kid.

Dexter Foreman lives in a retirement community. Dex can fix just about anything with a Swiss army knife. Dex's best friend is about to turn one hundred years old.

Dexter Foreman is only twelve years old.

It takes a village to raise a child is a very true quote for Dex's situation. Being homeschooled by his grandmother and all the other retired elderly people who live in Pines Retirement Village, Dex knows everything he'll ever need... except how to make friends with kids his own age.

But that changes fast when Dex suddenly has to start going to Wolf's Eye Middle School. Before he knows it, Dex is on the math team, winning his first school fight, and being investigated by aspiring journalist Gianna Greco.

Does Dex have what it takes to “fit in” with everyone else, or is “real school” holding him back?

Gordon Korman once again writes a book that's out of this world.

This book finally redeems the Korman original, Schooled. And that's all thanks to Dexter Foreman. I didn't feel like Dex was stereotyped into oblivion, but rather, he was his own interesting character who just happened to be homeschooled. It's very refreshing and classic Gordon Korman.

This book was clean and didn't have any bogus stuff in it, which is always great. Especially for a book coming out in 2025, that's very impressive and admirable.

My only wish right now is that the next Gordon Korman book is about a public schooler becoming homeschooled… Now that would be awesome.

Dexter Foreman loves shuffleboard, breaks codes from World War II, and loves his afternoon tea. All things that are perfectly normal in his life at The Pines. But, what’s not normal is Dexter is only 12 years old. You see, Dexter lives with his grandmother at the retirement home. While he has been educated by some of the brightest minds in the area, it isn’t good enough for the local school system. When he has to report to middle school, his life is thrown for a loop. To say that he “sticks out” is an understatement. Suddenly, everything Dexter knows is put into question and he just wants to go back to The Pines. As Dexter is feeling out his new surroundings, the question becomes can he survive middle school?

I absolutely loved this book. Middle school is hard enough for kids, but to be transported from a retirement home where you are the only child, into a middle school, where you are surrounded by people your own age is not setting you up for success. All of the mannerisms that Dexter has completely transported me to my grandmother‘s retirement home growing up. I love how he is able to stay true to who he is while exploring this brand new environment. As a reader, you can empathize with all of his emotions which makes him completely endearing. My only complaint is the cover art with a bird on the front. I understand the reference, but I just don’t think it fits the book. It is realistic fiction and the cover almost makes it seem like fantasy.

I read this book with my 13 year old and he has loved every Gordon Korman book he has read and this was just added to that list. I feel these are such important topics and scenarios to write about in juvenile books

As always, Korman has written a touching and tender story while always knowing when to insert that humorous touch.
Dex is a senior citizen in a 12-year-old body. This will go a big way in exposing older elementary school students to the benefits of the elderly and older generation. The theme of kindness permeates the pages alongside the urge to laugh and laugh some more.
Korman is a favorite in my Media Center and never disappoints. The metamorphosis from old to young while never losing your compassion for either was a joy. Loved it!

My goodness was this cute. The synopsis grabbed my attention so I requested this but didn’t think it would grab my interest as quickly as it did. Only a few sentences and I was hooked! This was a book that kept me thinking about it randomly through the day, wondering what was up next and how everything would play out.

I really love this story and this will be at the top of the list when my daughter hits middle grade reading. This is a fantastic story that I highly (is there something higher than highly?) recommend for anyone who loves unlikely intergenerational friendships and adorable characters!

Thank you HarperCollins Children’s Books for the arc via Netgalley!

Coming January 14, 2025

Gordon Korman follows his typical formula in this book: protagonist in middle school, each chapter is told from a different character’s viewpoint, a feel good story with several lessons learned. I liked this story because it also had the unusual elements of a setting in a retirement center and a connection to WWII code breakers. He is a good storyteller without being overbearing with the messages. I liked that the reader can see there are benefits of both public school and homeschooling as well as inter-generational relationships. I’m a middle aged teacher mom and it is nice to have literature my 13 year old son and I can connect over. Thank you for writing this book! Thank you Scholastic for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley for this review.

Excellent ‘coming of age’ story for middle grades readers! The story holds your attention and is filled with humor! A unique storyline that deals sober so many middle school identity issues - popularity, friendships, etc.

I received an ARC from Netgalley. This book is SO heartwarming. I was the kid that got along better with adults and could really relate to Dex. I also loved how the kids started visiting the retirement community - I wish I could get my students to do this! How amazing could our world be if kiddos got to know the elderly? So much to learn from them! Overall, great story that I can't wait to add to my classroom library.

Old School is a hilarious story (with a brilliant title!) about Dex, who is 12 going on 80. Growing up in an old age home, he has lots of elderly teachers- but none are official, so he is forced to attend middle school, where everything changes.
Encountering other students, expertly fixing anything that was broken, reconciling his life at the old age home with the new environment at school- Dex must find a way to meet these challenges in this humorous and witty story.
An engaging read, sure to be a hit!

This book was a really fun read and would be a super cute classroom read for upper elementary or independent read for any middle grades! I think this book could be a really good classroom book because it offers further discussion points in morals and treating people with kindness. When I originally requested this ARC I didn't even realize it was children's fiction but it still did not disappoint and I chose to read it anyways! I was pleasantly entertained and would recommend this for any young readers out there or teachers looking for a fun classroom book!

Dexter lives with his grandmother at The Pines Retirement Village and has since he was 6. Suddenly, a truant officer shows up and forces Dex to go to the local middle school. The homeschooling he received from various residents at the Pines was not official and now he must go to local middle school. Dexter sticks out at the middle school due to the fact he dresses and acts like a senior citizen. Gianna Greco finds him interesting and want to write an article about him for the school paper. Slowly, the middle schoolers decide to follow Dexter home one day and end up loving it there. Dexter is very handy and starts fixing things at school. This is wonderful until he uses his trusty Swiss Army knife. This incident causes an uproar and a suspension for Dexter. The middle school rally behind him, but is it enough to convince everyone Dexter should be able to come back?

I love Gordon Korman and I loved this story! It is heart warming. I loved the relationship between the middle schoolers and the retirement community. I loved seeing Dexter transform and transform those around him. I didn’t want to put this book down! I had to keep reading to see what happened next. This is sure to be another big hit for Gordon Korman!!

I am just a Gordon Korman fan girl at this point. I don’t know how he keeps writing books for middle grades readers that are varied but deal with the typical issues a child has in 4-7 grades.

Dexter has spent the last 6 years being taught by the residents of the Pines- a retirement community full of some interesting and amazing people. One day, a truancy officer comes and says he has to go to school. Dexter is your typical 12 year old who dresses like those he admires but when that’s a 99 year old man… going to middle school isn’t easy.

Every page kept me wanting to know more watching not only Dexter transform but also the other characters. Another book sure to delight students!

This was fine—standard Gordon Korman but not as strong as other titles. It felt like there was less urgency in the plot—Dex’s suspension felt a bit anticlimactic. I think showing the value of our senior citizens is a wonderful piece of this story. Their knowledge, skill, and experience deserve to be celebrated and I think it’s important for middle schoolers to read about that. I will of course still be purchasing this for my middle school collection.

Gordon Korman is a master at middle grade fiction I read all his books. He does an amazing job of hitting topics that lend to discussion in an entertaining way. Often middle grade books either teach a lesson or entertain the kids. This is a great twist of both. I would love to hear kids discussing this one.

I recieved a free eARC of this book. Thank you for the opportunity.

I've enjoyed Korman's writing since reading the McDonald Hall books as a kid, and this is no exception. Like "Schooled", Old School takes on a kid with a non-standard upbringing (in this case, raised and homeschooled in a senior citizen's community by his grandmother and other residents, in the case of Schooled, raised by a grandmother on a hippie commune) who is forced to go to a traditional public school, struggles to adjust, but eventually ends up changing the school around them for the better.


Like pretty much ALL of Korman's writings, kids will enjoy and relate to Dexter as he provides an outsider view of a world they live in, and, also, hopefully, develop some understanding and respect for the senior citizens in their lives and that they have amazing stories and ideas to share. It's a positive, upbeat book that deserves placement in school and community libraries.

I appreciate that Korman recognizes, and expresses, that there are positive aspects to homeschooling and that homeschooling can have major academic benefits, but I do wish he'd write a book where the homeschooled protagonist doesn't end up gleefully sold on public school and instead finds a compromise between complete isolation with no age peers, but exceptional academics, and inadequate academics with age peers. Homeschoolers will likely find this book lacking as a result, because while Dexter provides a great fish out of water look at public school and a view into the lives of active, thriving senior citizens, homeschooling simply doesn't work that way for a majority of students.


4.5 rounded up

I enjoyed every aspect of this book! Dexter is an endearing quirky character, and I love that he embraces and adores his retirement community where he's being raised by his grandmother. He shows everyone how to handle school bullies-a combination of not caring what they think and treating people kindly. I love his 'can do' attitude and how he takes initiative to fix things at the school that have been long broken even though it's "not his job" to do so. Finally, I can't wait to show my students how one person can affect change in their community. What an awesome and inspiring message that we all so desperately need to hear. Kudos to Gordon Korman for understanding the incredible potential that middle school students possess, not in the future, but NOW!

Gordon Korman has done it again! You’ll love his latest about Dexter who lives in a retirement home with his grandma and has for six years. One day a truancy officer tells him he needs to go to school even though he’s been homeschooled by the many people at the retirement home. In the beginning, students don’t know what to think of Dex who dresses like an elderly person. One thing Dex is good at is fixing things with his Swiss Army knife and the school needs fixing badly because it’s old. When Dex is suspended one day because he was trying to fix something with his knife, the students begin showing more support for Dex and begin hanging out at the retirement home with him. Will he be allowed back to school?